Washing-machine



UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC A. SERGEANT, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 18,062, dated August 25, 1857.

provement; (ai), Fig. 3, indicating the plane of-section. Fig. 2, isalso a vertical section of ditto (y), (y), Fig. 3 showing the plane ofsection. Fig. 3- is a plan or top view of ditto. Fig. 4 is a Vdetachedside view4 of a section of one of the corrugated rollers.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

This invention consists in the employment within a suitable water-tighttub, of an adjustable, rotating, perforated platform or secondary tub,substantially as hereinafter set forth.

V'The invention also consists in providing the outer end of the'rubbingroller with a shoulder of a diameter larger than that of the body of theroller, for the purposes hereinafter described.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a framing on which a tub B is secured. This tub may beconstructed similarly to the ordinary wooden wash tubs, and of a greateror less size as desired. To thebottom of the tub B, at its center a tubeC is attached, the lower end of said tube being provided with a cock D.The upper end of the tube C has a flanch (a) formed on it, the flanchbeing attached to the bottom of the tub B.

Within the tub B a rotating, adjustable perforated platform or secondarytub E is placed. This secondary tub E has a spindle F, attached to thecenter of its bottom, at the under side, said spindle extending down inthe tube C. The spindle is formed of a cylindrical metal rod. Thesecondary tub E may beconstructed of wood the same as the tub B.

The secondarytub E rests upon a bar G, the ends of which have straps (b)(b) attached, said straps passing over rollers (c) (c) at opposite sidesof the tub B, the ends of the straps being attached to a lever in itsbearings.

frame H, which works on center or fulcrum pins (d) at each side of thelower part of the framing A. The spindle F passes through the center ofthe bar Gr, as plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The bottom of the secondary tub E has i radial strips (e) attached.These strips extend from a small circle at the center of the bottom ofthe secondary tub and extend outward to the sides of the tub. Shorterradial strips (f) are attached to the bottom of the secondary tub nearits periphery and ybetween the strips (e). These strips are shownclearly in Fig. 3. The strips are transversely of triangular form, thesides meeting at the top and forming an acute angle. The strips (e) havenotches (g),

made in them, these notches in each strip and the shorter strips (f)have each a notch (h) made in them. The bottom of the secondary tub E isalso perforated with holes (i) between the stripsl (e). The sides of thetub E just above its bottom are perforated with holes I, I', representtwo frames the outer ends of which are connected by hinges (lc) to across piece (Z) attached to the uprights (r) of the framing A. The innerend of the frame I, has a shaft J fitted in it transversely, and on thisshaft a series of circularv wooden disks or rollers (m) are placed. Theshaft J is permanent or does not rotate These 'disks or rollers areconstructed of wood, and their outer edges are notched or serrated asshown clearly in Fig. 4f.

The inner endof the frame I has a shaft K fitted in it. This shaft isallowed to rotate in its bearings and a crank L is attached to its outerend. On the shaft K a Wooden roller M is secured. This roller M isformed of two parts (m) (fn) havingdifferent diameters. The periphery ofthe portion (m) having the smaller diameter is grooved diagonally so asto form diamondshaped projections as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, at(o), the portion (n) constituting a shoulder having the larger diameteris notched or serrated parallel with the shaft K. See Figs. 2 and 3. Theroller M may extend to the center of the bottom of the secondary tub Eor it may project beyond its center as will be hereinafter referred to.

The operation is as follows: The tub B is supplied with a requisitequantity of suds or soap and water, and the clothes, shown in red inFig. 2, are placed on the bottom of the secondary tub E, the frames I, Ibeing previously thrown back as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. Theframes I, I, are then thrown over forward and the end of the frame H isthen depressed by the foot of the operator and the secondary tub E isthereby raised and the clothes are sub# jected to the pressure of therollers in the frames I, I. The shaft K is then rotated by turning thecrank L, and the secondary tub E will be rotated in consequence of thepressure of the roller M upon the clothes. The frame H is kept in adepressed state by a'ratchet catch N, as shown in Fig. l. The pressureof the rollers upon the clothes may be graduated as desired and byraising and lowering the secondary tub E or giving it what may be termeda dipping motion. The whole weight of the rollers and frames may be madeto bear upon the clothes or only a portion of their weight, the framesresting when in a horizontal position on the top of the tub B. Theclothes are supplied with purer water than in the usual machines forsand, grit, lint, and other impurities pass through the holes (i) (j) inthe bottom and sides of the secondary tub E and settle to the bottom ofthe tub B, and by raising the secondary tub E above the surface of thewater in the tub B the clothes may be adjusted therein as desired sothat certain parts may be subjected to a greater rubbing than others.

I am aware that rotating wash-tubs are old, and I therefore do notclaim, broadly, to be the inventor thereof. But to the best of myknowledge and belief, it is a new feature in washing machines to employwithin a wash-tub a secondary rotating tub or platform E, upon which theclothes are placed, so that the clothes may be elevated or depressed inthe water, at pleasure, or be raised entirely above thev water, foreXamination or change of position.

It is therefore frequently desirable, in washing, to change the quantityof water which covers the clothes; or in other words, sometimes to havethe clothes deeper down in the water than at others, while being rubbed.My machine allows of this change. In its use the secondary tub E may beraised or lowered so as to give any desired dept-h of water above theclothes; and the change may be made without stopping the operation ofthe rubbing rollers.

I am also aware that rubbing rollers of conical and other forms havelong been known and used in connection with rotating wash-tubs; andtherefore I do not broadly claim the invention of such rollers. But tothe best of my knowledge it is new to provide the extremities of suchrollers with a shoulder (n) of greater diameter than any other portionof the said rollers; so that in starting the machine, the said shoulder(n) will (by vertical pressure upon the roller) come in contact with thebottom of secondary tub E, and thus relieve the clothes from thefriction necessary to start the secondary tub E. Conical rollers, asused in washing machines of this kind, vare larger at their outerextremities than elsewhere; but such 'extremities would not answer thepurpose of the shoulder (n), because if the clothes extended out as faras the shoulder (n), they would effectually prevent the end of theconical roller from touching the bottom of the tub. Butvby having adistinct shoulder (n) as in my improvement the clothes will not preventthe shoulder from coming in contact with the bottom of the secondary tubE; the inertia of the latter may thus be readily overcome by the contactof the shoulder on the bottom of the secondary tub E, without drawingon, or tearing the clothes.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The employment, within a water-tight tub B, of an adjustable,rotative, perforated platform or secondary tub E, in the mannersubstantially as described.

2. Providing the outer end of roller M with a shoulder (n) of largerdiameter than the body of the roller, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

yISAAC A. SERGEANT. Witnesses:

HENRY NELSON, JOHN C. MILLER.

